Socinus (Marianus)

Summary

[The Socinian sect was considered throughout western Christendom – by Lutherans and Calvinists as well as Catholics – as a heresy that should not be tolerated. Bayle traces the movement's history from its origins in Renaissance Italy to its quest for refuge in Transylvania and Poland. He infers from the mixed fortunes of the Socinian sect in Poland that a government must not only have the desire to protect a law-abiding minority, it must have the power to carry out its commitments.]

Socinus (Marianus) celebrated jurist, was born in Sienna, on 4 September, 1412 … [and died on] 30 September, 1467. …

Socinus (Marianus), grandson of the foregoing, was not less celebrated in the profession of the law than his forebear. He was born in Sienna on 25 March 1582 [sic; recte 1482]. …

Were we to believe Ponciroli, he had thirteen children, of whom only two survived him, Celsus and Philippe … Ponciroli should have known that there was a third named Laelius Socinus, the first author of the Socinian Sect (B). Alexander Socinus, son of Marianus and father of Faustus Socinus, of whom I shall speak below, died very young but with a reputation as an erudite jurist.

[Remark (A) omitted.]

(B) Marianus left a third son named Laelius Socinus, the first author of the Socinian Sect.] He was born in Sienna in 1525. Having been destined for the law by his father, he soon began to seek the basis of that science in the word of God, and through this study he discovered that the communion of Rome taught many things that were contrary to Revelation.